Pipe coupling



Dec. 7, 1948. v J. YONKERS 2,455,544

PIPE coUPLING Filed July 26, `1947 yl/ j mmmIIIINIMM@ Patented Dec. 7, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE ooUPLmG John L. Yonkers, Northbrook, Ill. Application July ze, 1947, serial no. 763,851.

6 Claims." (01.285-169) v 4 'I'his invention relates to a pipe coupling for use in low-pressure air systems and particularly for use in suction cleaning systems. While a coupling embodying the invention maybe used generally with all kinds of suction-cleaning systems, it is particularly useful with suction cleaners of the type used in homes, oiilces, etc., where an operator manipulates a suction cleaner and attachments. A coupling embodying the invention is especially well suited for use in tank-type suction cleaners, examples of which are disclosed and claimed 'in Yonkers Patents 2,198,568; 2,242,277 and 2,242,278.

As is well known, suction cleaner attachments and hose or pipe are frequently changed during cleaning. It is,.therefore,v of great importance that a coupling permit easy and quick connection and disconnection. In many instances, the operator is unskilled and lacks mechanical ability. It is, therefore, important that the coupling be -mechanically simple and easy to manipulate.

Couplings requiring substantial lforce to operate or inconvenient to manipulate are responsible for improper cleaning procedure and `constitute a serious deterrent to the full and effective use of attachments. t

Couplings for suction cleaners must be simple and rugged in order to withstand, abuse. In particular, it is important that couplings be incapable of improper assembly, which might result in jamming or breakage of parts.Y It is also essential that suction cleaner couplings have a long, useful life and operate at maximum efficiency at all times.

A coupling embodying the present invention fuliills the above requirements to a remarkable degree. In addition, this coupling is easy and eco-V nomical to manufacture, requires a minimum of investment-in special tools and permits of.v quick and economical replacementsv of any parts. In fact, the assembly of thecoupling parts is so simple and requiresno special tools so that it is practical for a user tomake any replacements himself after receiving any required parts. Thus, renewals of couplings are cheap, free of service calls and makes it possible to extend the life of the couplings indefinitely. y

In general, this invention provides a coupling having telescoping pipe parts retained in position by a circumferentially elastic ring member cooperating'with an annular groove on the small pipe. The coupling embodying the present invention additionally provides a construction whereby, in the coupled position, the elastic ring cooperates with a portion of the structure to provide sealing action. As is well understood, the cooperating coupling` parts proper may be attached to any pipes, hose, attachments or the like .to permit ready connection and disconnection.

In order that the invention may be understood,

uit will be explained in'connection with drawings wherein Figure` 1 is a sectional'elevation through the center of a coupling embodying the present invention, showing the coupling in connected position. -Figure 2 is a view similar toFigure 1 showing the coupling disconnected. Figure 3 is a sectional view 'on line 33 of Figure 1. Figure 41s a detail, partly in section, of-the garter spring, showing the locking spring.' Figure 5 is a sec'- 'tional detail' showing the relative position of the garter spring, sleeve and surface' of inserted pipe in a position of the coupling where engaging occurs but prior to full coupling. Figure 6 isa sectional detail similar to' Figure 5 but showing the vrelationship of'the'parts in a disconnected position.

Referring to the drawings,V pipe or hose ill may be of metal, plastic or rubber and may be rigid' or flexible as desired. 1= ref erably, the material is rigid; Pipe I0 has end Il flared outwardly and the end portion of the p ipe is covered by sleeve `I2 of rubber or similar flexible material. Sleeve l2 has elongated body I3 and end portion I4. Body i3 may be as thin as desired vto t snugly aroundl pipe l0. 'End portion I l has substantial thickness and has moulded therein interior -annular slot I5 into which flared pipe edge ll tsf. Thus, sleeve I2 may be locked against longltudi nal movement with respect to pipe I0. If desired, flared portion Il and slot4 llmay be omitted and reliance had uponfriction orother locking means between body portion 'i3' and pipe I0...v i I H End portion il of the sleeve is relatively massive and has formed therein annular channel libeyond the free end of pipe- I0. The distdncefbef tween slot l5 and channel IB is unimportant and willdepend among other thingsupon thedimen.- sions of end portion Il, flexibility of ,rubber or other material used in moulding sleeve l2, and the general engineering detallsvvof the coupling.

Normally, the sleeve is moulded so that the inner a narrow annular throat connecting the channel with the Yspace'ven'e'zlosed by' end'prtion 14 as'a whole', th throat being 'defined byannular 'lips n mi n. `summa is itself is dennen by side walls Il and bottom. 20.

Lying in channel I3 of the sleeve is toroidal or garter spring 2| formed from coil spring 22 having ends 23 and 24 connected together to provide a garter spring. Spring 2| is of spring steel or other material and l is circumferentially expan- `sible. The means for locking the ends of the coil spring to maintain the garter spring shape is here shown as coil spring 25 disposed-within opposed ends 23 and 24 of coil spring 22. Locking `spring 2l normally has an outside diameter somewhat larger than the inside diameter of coil spring 22. Spring 25 is forced into the ends of spring 22 to provide a threaded interlocking effect and maintain garter spring 2|.

The outside diameter of coil spring 22 and ins tion 21 (Figure 6) which normally bulges or extends inwardly beyond lips I1 and I8 of sleeve I4. It is preferred to have sleeve I4 around moulded channel I6 suiiiciently stiff so that wedge-shaped lips I1 and I8 hug the garter spring. f

The inside diameter of the garter spring, when freely contracted, vas shown in Figure 2 for example, is less than the .inside diameter of pipe |0. The cooperating 'portion of the coupling comprises pipe which may also be of metal, plastic or other material andpwhile preferably rigid, may have some flexibility; This cooperating portion has anoutside diameter somewhat smaller than the inside diameter of pipe I0 to provide a smooth telescopic fit. Cooperating pipe 3i has formed therein annular circumferential groove 3| having a generally arcuate cross-sectional shape. The curvature of groove 3| is preferably about the same as that of the coils making up the garter spring. The outside diameter of vpipe 30 at the trough of groove 3| may be somewhat greater than the inside diameter of the garter spring when freely contracted, as shown in Figure 2. Groove 3| is sufficiently far from the free end of pipe 30 to' permit portion 32 of the pipe to extend beyond the coupling and into a portion of pipe I0.

The outside diameter of portion 32 of the pipe is greaterA than the inside diameter of garter spring 2| when freely contracted," as shown in Figure 2. For facilitating the introduction of pipe portion 32 into the annular spring and expanding the latter, pipe portion 32 may have free edge 33 curled inwardly.

When pipe portion 32 isrst inserted into th --sleeveand garter spring, the outer surface of the pipe is-gripped by a thin annular region of-the garter spring. In this position (Figure 5) the garter spring is expanded circumferentially and is forced deeper into moulded channel I6.l In this expanded position of the spring,.the coils ofthe spring relax their pressure against lips I1 and I3 Vand permit these lips to bend toward each other.

Thus. lips Il and I8 move substantially clear of the outer surface of pipe portion 32. In practice, the friction between the garter spring -and the outer surface of pipe portion 32 may be quite small, particularly if the pipe surface is smooth and polished. When groove 3| is reached by the garter spring, the spring contracts and forces lips I1 and Il outwardly of the channel toward the axis of the sleeve (Figure l) 'I'he outside diameter of the pipe at the trough of the groove may be made any desired value over a substantial range so that the garter spring retains a tight hold on the pipe in the coupled position as shown in Figure 1. At the same time, the engagement of lips I1 and Il with the surface of the pipe on both sides of the annular groove provide tight seals against air leakage. Since the garter spring tends to maintain the coupling in assembled position due to the cam action of the spring and groove, it is clear that the groove depth may be such as to permit the garter spring to freely contract similar to when vent relative rotation between pipes I0 and 3l when the two are in coupled position. To this end, pipe I0 may be provided with rivet 3l while pipe portion 32 may have one or more slots or depressions 35. By providing a plurality of slots 3l circumferentially spaced around pipe 32, locking action in any one of a number of different positions may be effected.

,Garter spring 2| may be inserted into channel I 6 or removed therefrom by deforming the spring or sleeve or both, as the case may be. In practice, end I4 may be deformed out of round and the spring ring manipulated to remove the same Vfrom the sleeve. The spring may be inserted in the sleeve by deformation of the two and working one in proper position with respect to the other.

Instead of a garter type of spring, it is possible to use other forms of expansible spring rings. Thus, a spring wire or ribbon bent to form one or two complete turns around the sleeve axis may be used. 'Ihe ends would be left free.

I claim:

1. A pipe coupling for suction cleaners and the like comprising one pipe portion having a free end, a flexible sleeve disposed over said pipe portion and having a part extending beyond the free end of the pipe, said sleeve part having an annular channel therein, said channel having opposed lips at the inside sleeve face for defining an annular throat connecting said channel and th'e space enclosed by said sleeve portion, a metal garter spring in said channel adapted for circumferential expansion, said ring when freely contracted having an annular part beyond the throat, said freely contracted garter ring having an inside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said one pipe portion and crowding said lips toward the sleeve axis, saidsleeve having sufcient body so that the lips hug said spring at all times, a second cooperating pipe portion having an outsidediameter less than the inside diameter of the first pipe portion for telescoping therewith, said second pipe portion having an annular groove formed on the outside thereof at a distance from the end thereof, the ouside diameter of said second pipe portion being greater than the inside diameter of the freely contracted garter spring so that said ring is expanded when around the ungarter spring contracting at the grooved portion of said pipe to maintain the coupling in locked` A position with said'lips .being pressed `against the f pipe material to form seals. v

2. The structure of claimv l wherein interlocking means are provided on the two pipe sections for preventing rotation of one pipe with respect to the other when vin coupled relation.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said iirst pipe is rigid andthe free edge thereof is 10 flared outwardly and is lockedinto an annular channel formed in said sleeve to lock said sleeve against longitudinal displacement with respect to locked into the two ends of said mst coil spring 25 to maintain the toroidal shape thereof.

6; The structure according to claim 1 wherein said garter spring comprises a rst coil spring to form` a troid, a second coil spring locked into the ends of said ilrst coil spring to maintain the 5 toroidal shape thereof. said one pipe portion having a protuberance extending inwardly oi' the pipe and wherein the second pipe portion has a slot iorjcooperation with said protuberance for locking the two pipe portions against rotation whencoupled.

- lJOHNLAmNKERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following reierencesare of record in the if me of this patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,111,956 Baldwin ----1 Mar. 22, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 467,954 vGermany Dec. 29, 1926 

